Maps
by secondstardust
Summary: Thorne has a little surprise gift for Cress to start off her new Earth adventure.


I've been sitting on this since I finished Winter. It's yours now.

* * *

The Rampion made its first voyage delivering the letumosis vaccine to the European Union. They landed on the outskirts of Barcelona, and were immediately met with government officials and all the clamor of a bustling metropolis. Cress had been nearly overwhelmed by the sun and the noise after weeks on Luna, but she had adjusted quickly. There was so much to see, and so much she wanted to do.

This would be her first time on Earth where she could just look around, and Cress was determined to see everything.

She was hovering by the ship, watching all the people swarm around them. There was a crew unloading while government officials and city leaders held impromptu interviews with the media. Scarlet had been dragged into an interview as soon as she stepped off the ship, and Cress watched as Wolf stood behind her, patiently waiting. The interviewer was determinedly ignoring him; a fierce scowl was marching across Scarlet's face like an oncoming storm. Cress had watched videos of hurricanes that were less intimidating.

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders.

"Yeah I wouldn't get in the middle of that," Thorne said. "Scarlet can handle it."

Cress frowned. "Scarlet might rip her apart."

"Better she do it now and let everyone know how we feel about Wolf being mistreated. She'll just do it again otherwise. Wolf will stop her before she shoots anything. Probably."

"I don't think that was as reassuring as you meant it to be. I might be more worried now."

He grinned. "If you go over there you'll miss your surprise."

She turned her head up to look at him, shocked and happy all at once. "You got me something?"

"Something," he winked. "Though I suppose if you have better things to do it could wait."

Cress bit her lip. Thorne was acting nonchalant, but the arm wrapped around her shoulders was tense and he was watching her carefully out of the corner of his eye. Whatever this surprise was, it was important to him. She reached up and held his hand.

"I'd love to see it," she said.

Thorne tugged her back towards the Rampion.

"You know I'm a little surprised you're not in the middle of all that," Cress waved her hand vaguely behind them. "As our Captain, and all."

"Oh I don't do all that song and dance. As copilot, it's Scarlet's job to handle all the ticker tape."

"I think she's going to have a lot to say about that," Cress laughed.

"Not until she escapes them she won't. Anyway, we have a city to see and plans to make. Barcelona might not be a tropical island, but it does have a beach."

"Really?" Cress smiled. "Do you think we'll have time to go before we leave?"

Thorne laughed and pulled her close. "Of course! I planned on it. What kind of mastermind would I be if I didn't squeeze a little sightseeing into our noble humanitarian efforts? Plus, we really do need to get a mechanic before we start jetting back and forth between Luna."

"That's true."

They had reached the ship. Thorne led her up the ramp and straight to the crew's quarters. He paused in his own doorway, and pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her.

It was a pen. Cress had never seen one up close before, but she recognized it. Thorne had tied a little bow around the cap, and she brushed her fingers against the ribbon.

"There's more," he said.

He waved her into the room, and gestured grandly at the wall. "Ta Da!"

She looked around, wondering what she was supposed to be looking at. His bed was as messy as ever, there was a half finished spaceship model on his desk, and on the wall -

"Oh," Cress gasped.

Thorne had a map of Earth that stretched across most of the wall, and it was covered in little marks noting where he had been and where he wanted to go. He had added another, identical map of Earth on the wall, but this one was blank.

"That's for me." A light, giddy feeling filled her, and she laughed. Cress hugged him quickly, before pulling away to go look at the map. Thorne followed her.

"If you want me to move it into your quarters, I can. I just thought there would be more room for it in here."

"It's fine," Cress reassured. "We can compare notes this way."

"I've already started it for you," he pointed. Thorne had put pins in Kufra, Farafrah, and New Beijing. "But I thought you would want to write the notes yourself."

"Thank you. This is wonderful and I love it, really."

"Yeah?" Thorne looked pleased.

"Yes. But I don't actually know how to write."

Thorne's face fell, and he rubbed his hand through his hair, flustered.

"Right. I didn't think of that."

She grabbed his hand. "It's okay. I wouldn't mind learning. There are programs for that sort of thing, and I'm armed now." She waved her pen at him and grinned.

He smiled. "That's definitely something we can work on. What do you say we sneak off and see what Barcelona has to offer? We might even find some paper."

"Abandoning ship, Captain?"

"Nope. Just a timely and very important emergency supply run for a crew member."

"Of course. Is that what we're telling the others?"

"We'll bring them back something nice."

"Now, where are your pins? I want to get started."

Thorne grinned, and handed her a box. "Ready to start your new adventure?"

"Yes." She pushed the pin place. "I'm ready. Let's go!"

* * *

I think Thorne's map is the only time in the series that references anything being written by hand. As a shell, I doubt Cress can write. You tried, Thorne.


End file.
